Dispenser for paper towels and like articles



P. H. HORWITT DISPENSER FOR PAPER TOWELS AND LIKE ARTICLES File y 25 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Pa a! 15. JYOI'WZZ'L/ BY v * ATT'NEYS Patented July 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL H. HORWITT, OF'BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO INDEPENDENT PAPER KILLS INC., 01 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OENEW YORK.

DISPENSER FOB PAPER TOWELS AND LIKE ARTICLES.

'Application filed Kay 25,

To all whom it may concern:

the borough of Brooklymcounty of Kings,

city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement-in Dispensers for Paper Towels and like Articles, .of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates'to an improvement in dispensers for paper articles,

and While particularly designed for dispensing paper towels its use is not so limited as it may be employed for dispensing paper napkins, toilet paper and other similar and l obvious uses. I am aware that heretofore various devices have been employed for dispensing paper towels, napkins and similar articles by placing the same in a casing and feeding the articles individually, that is one at a time, through aslot provided iii the casing b mechanical means; and I am also aware t at heretofore various dispensing devices have been employed in which paper towels, napkins and the like have been folded and the folded parts thereof interlapped so as to beplaced in piles in a casing with one folded portion of an article extending through a slot provided for this purpose in the casing so that by withdrawing the article a portion of which thus projects through the slot a corresponding projecting portion of the next succeeding article will be drawn through the slot so as to be available for being grasped by the hand and withdrawn from the casing.

In carrying out my present invention the paper towels or similar articles are folded along predetermined parallel lines into a strip comprising a multiplicity of layers and the strip is then folded transversely on a centrally disposed line to complete the folding of the article in which shape the towels or napkins are bundled in superimposed piles of predetermined number with the central portions thereof overlapping each other and the ends of alternate towels or napkins extending a predetermined distance in opposite directions beyond the central overlapping portions thereof. The dispenser comprising the present invention is adapted to receivethe bundled towels or napkins in the form and condition specified and to support the same in such a manner as to cause an end portion of the lowermost towel or napkin to project through an opening pro- 1923. Serial No. 641,304.

vided therefor in the bottom of the dispenser and to project sufficiently below the bottom of the dispenser to be readily available for being grasped by the hand and to be withdrawn from the dispenser for use so that in the. use of the apparatus the lowermost towels or napkins are withdrawn alternately in opposite directions, as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser for towels and similar articles made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan View. I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of folding the towel or other article adapted for use in the form of dispenser comprising my present invention.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section illustrating another form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation illustrating another form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is an end view and partial cross section of the form of dispenser shown in Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the towel, napkin or other similar article is withdrawn from the dispenser and unfolded for use.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, it will be seen that the dispenser made in accordance with my present invention preferably comprises a casing 10 which may be made of metal or wood or any other suitable material and is rectangular in configuration. As will be understood the casing may be made of any suitable dimensions to receive the "superimposed towels or other articles placed therein, the height of the casing depending upon the number oftowels to be contained therein, while the breadth of the casing is dependent upon thelength of the bundle of superimposed towels and the width or thickness of 100 the casing is dependent upon the width of the folded towels. The casing is preferably open ended at the top as indicated at 11 and at the bottom or lower end the casing is provided in any suitable manner with trans-' ioa I hereinafter described. That portion of the bottom or lower end of the casing 18 open as indicated at 14 between the adjacent edges ed in the walls of the casing and carrying a roller 16 which extends between the inner faces of the walls of the casing and together with the pin acts as a central support for the superimposed towels when placed. in the casing, as hereinafter described.

Also as indicated in the drawing I may employ a cover 17 adapted to fit within the open upper end of the casing and to bear directly against the superimposed pile of towels placed therein. This cover, as indicated, is fitted with a handle 18 by which it may be readily removed and the cover may also be provided with suitable weights preferably placed at the ends thereof as indicated at 19 and 20 to assist the cover in performing the function of maintaining the superimposed towels in position in the easing and assisting the same in their descent through the casing.

The towel or other paper article adapted for use with the casing as hcl'einbefore described preferably consists of a sheet of predetermined dimensions which is folded into a plurality of sections along spaced parallel lines and then folded transversely in an approximately central position. The towel thus folded is indicated at 21 in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The edges formed by the parallel fold lines are indicated at 22, the transverse fold line forming the folded end of the towel is indicated at 23, while the opposite or free edge end of the folded towel is indicated at 24. The towels thus folded are bundled in superimposed piles of any desired predetermined number, and preferably as indicated in Fig. 2 with the central portions thereof overlapping and the free edge ends of alternate towels placed so as to extend a desired distance beyond the ends of the adjacent towels, the towels being oppositely placed so that the folded ends thereof are also in alignment and these ends of alternate towels are in oppositely disposed positions. The length of the extending free edge ends of the towels is preferably slightly in excess of the width of the ledges l2 and 13 so that when the towelsthus superimposed are placed in the casing the same will be supported at the extending ends by the ledges 12 and 13 and also in a, central position by the pin 15 and its roller 16. \Vhen thus placed, as will now be understood, the folded end of the lowermost towel by its own weight will sag a predetermined distance because of being unsupported and will extend sufficiently far below the bottom or lower end of the casing to be readily grasped by the hand and withdrawn from the casing. In so doing the opposite end will be freed and the towel will pass over the roller 16. It will also be understood that when the lowermost towel is removed the next succeeding towel will take its place and the oppositely disposed folded end thereof will sag to a position where it may be obtained for use so that in withdrawing the towels from the casing they are removed first from one side and thenfrom the other thus alternating until the supply is exhausted. The cover member 17 either with or without the weights 19 and 20 may be used in connection with the casing as practice may'show is necessary, as in some instances at least the cover either with or without the weights may be dispensed with, and under other conditions the cover either with or without its weights may be advantageously employed to maintain the su )erimposed towels in position and to assist the same in their descent through the casing.

By reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen that instead of employing the ledge sup-ports at the opposite ends on the lower portion of the casing together with a centrally disposed support the end supports may be dispensed with and a modified construction of a central support employed. In this construction the centrally disposed support is indicated at 25 and may include a strip of suitable material extending transw'ersely of the casing and fixed in any desired manner to the front and rear walls thereof. Either fixed in this support 25 or in the walls of the easing I may employ at the ends of the support pins 26 and 28 titted respectively with rollers 27 and 29 over which the towels or other articles may be alternately drawn from opposite ends of the casing. Attention is particularly directed to the fact that in the use of this form of apparatus the towels or other articles are stacked and bundled in the manner the reverse to that shown in Fig. 2, that is to say the folded ends 23 of the towels are the extending ends, while the free edge ends are aligned a predetermined distance from the extending folded ends, while the centrally disposed support is so designed that the folded extending end of the lowermost towel will sag by its own weight a sufficient distance below the lower end of the casing to be readily grasped and withdrawn therefrom for use.

As will also be observed by reference to Fig. 5 the cover member, when the same is employed, may be made from sheet metal, for example, with the oppositely disposed ends rolled or turned in and also suitably curved to conform generally to the position assumed by the towels or other articles when placed in the container so as to contact; directly with the uppermost towel in its entirety, it being understood that when there is an appreciable center bulge in the central portion of the bundle of towels or other articles this cover member. as indicated at 17, is correspondingly shaped.

The dispenser may be mounted in any suitable manner when used for towels. for example as shown in Fig. 1 it may be supported against the wall upon suitable brackets 3t), 31, or by being provided with eyes 32 and 33 adapted to engage with hooks 34 and 35 provided for this purpose or by both the brackets and hooks and eyes as illustrated in this figure of the drawing.

By reference to lf'igs. 6 and if, it will be seen that the. dispenser may be em )loyed for use in serving napkins and similar paper articles and supported on a pedestal or standard rising from the central or other part of a table as may be desired. In this form of the invention the. dispenser is provided with a yoke member 36 for su port-ing the same and having a socket 37 or receiving the upper end of the standard 38 which is supported from a suitable base 39 which may comprise a part of a table or other article of furniture. As will be apparent the dispenser and the yoke member associated therewith may be fixed on the standard or made to turn thereon as may be desired in the use of the device.

The particular article with which my present invention in its preferred form is desired for use and as hereinbefore stated is a towel and this is folded along parallel lines to form a strip having a predetermined number of sections'and' the strip thus folded is then folded transverselyon an approximately central line to form the folded article as illustrated. In this form the folded end of the towel sags a predetermined distance below the bottom of the dispenser and may be readily grasped by the hand as indicated in Fig. 8 so as to be withdrawn from the dispenser and when so withdrawn onev end or corner 40 may be grasped by the fingers of the other hand and the towel shaken to unfold the same for use.

So far as I am aware in similar articles now in use the paper towels have been cut into sheets approximately 101} x 13 inches in size and folded as to make it necessary for the inside dimensions of the dispenser to be 5} x 13 inches, and particular attention is directed to the fact that in carrying out my invention I employ a materially larger sheet for the towel inasmuch as itis approximately 14 x 21 inches and is so folded that the inside dimensions of the dispenser are x 7 inches. It will be readily apparent, therefore, that in the use of the present invention a considerably larger towel is adapted to be dispensed in a materially smaller apparatus.

I claim as my invention:

1. A dispenser for paper towels and the like comprising a casing, support members at oppositely disposed sides of the casing adjacent the lower end thereof. and a centrally disposed support also adjacent the lower end of the casing and providing openings on either side of and between the same. and the aforesaid supports so that succeeding lowermost napkins or other articles placed in the receptacle may be drawn therefrom alternately first through one of the said openings and then through the other.

2. A dispenser for paper towels and the like comprising a casing adapted to receive a superimposed pile of paper towels or like articles, rails at opposite sides of the casing adjacent the lower end thereof for supporting the napkins at their opposite ends, and a centrally disposed support member also adjacent the bottom of the casing adapted to support the central portion of the pile of napkins and providing an opening on both sides and between the same and the rails, and a cover fitting within the said casing and bearing upon the said napkins or like articles therein to maintain the same in position.

A dispenser for paper towels and the like comprising a casing adapted to receive a pile of rectangularly folded towels bundled with the central portions thereof superimposed and the end portions of alternate towels extending in opposite directions beyond the superimposed central portions thereof, rails atopposite sides of the casing adjacent the lower end thereof for supporting the napkins at their-opposite ends and a centrally disposed support member also adjacent the bottom of the casing adapted to support the central portion of the pile of napkins and providing an opening on both sides and between the same and the rails, a. cover adapted to fit within the casing, and weights at opposite ends of the cover attached to the inner side thereof and adapted to bear against the extending ends of the alternately placed superimposed pile of napkins.

4. A dispenser for paper towels and the like. comprising a casing, means within the casing for supporting opposite ends of a bundle of towels placed therein, and a transverse support placed intermediate of the said means providing openings on either side thereof and between the same and the said means so that succeeding lowermost towels or other articles placed in the receptacle may be d awn therefrom alternately first through one of the said openings and then through the other.

5. A dispenser for paper towels and the like, comprising a casing adapted to receive a pile of folded towels bundled with the central portions thereof superimposed and the end portions of alternate towels extending in opposite directions beyond the superimposed central portions thereof, devices at the lower portions of the casing for supporting the extending end portions of the said towels, and a support lntermediate of the said devices providing openings between the said support and on either side of the same and the said devices whereby alternately the extending end of the lowermost towel will extend through one of the said openings to be readily available for use by being withdrawn from the casing.

6. A dispenser for paper towels and the like, comprising a casing adapted to receive a pile of folded towels bundled with the central portions thereof superimposed and the end portions of alternate towels extending in opposite directions beyond the superimposed central portions thereof, devices at the lower portions of the casing for supporting the extending end portions of the said towels, a'support intermediate of the said devices providing openings between the said support and on either side of the same and the said devices whereby alternately the extending end of the lowermost towel will extend through one of the said openings to be readily available for use by being withdrawn from the casing, a cover fitting within the said casing, and means connected to the said cover for pressing upon the extending ends of the said towels to maintain the same in their relative positions and upon the said devices.

7. A dispenser for paper towels and the like, comprising a casing adapted to receive a pile of folded towels bundled with the central portions thereof superimposed and the end portions of alternate towels extending in opposite directions beyond the superimposed central portions thereof, supports in the lower portion and at the ends of the said casing for supporting the extending ends of the said towels, a centrally disposed support intermediate of the aforesaid supports and adapted to support the superimposed portions of the pile of towels, there eing openings provided on either side of the said central support and between the same and the said end supports whereby alternately the extending end of the bottommost towel extends through one of the said openings to be readily available for use by being withdrawn from the casing, a cover fitting within the casing, and weight members attached to the inner side of the cover and adapted to bear against the extending ends of the towels to maintain the same in their relative positions and against the said end supports.

Signed by me this 17th day of May, 1923.

PAUL H. HORWITT. 

